Hand plane



Sept. 11, 1956 F. w. HORN ETAL 2,762,406

I HAND PLANE I Filed March 24, 1955 v INVENTORS ca. #zeewf BY ,ZZRZ; 9 (M g v ATTORNEY:

States Patent Ofice HAND PLANE Frank W. Horn and Everett 0. Hiller, Centerville, Mass.,

assignors, by direct and mesne assignments, to Potter- Horn, Incorporated, Boston, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application March '24, 1955, Serial No. 496.580

Claims. (Cl. 145-5) This invention pertains to planes and more particularly to a plane that is specially adapted for the use of model-makers working with wood or suitable plastic materials.

The general purpose of the invention is to provide a miniature plane of simple and sturdy construction adapted to be held between the end portions of the thumb and forefinger of a user's hand while planing or shaping small objects.

A further object of the invention is to provide a plane of the character indicated which has a plane body comprising a sole plate with upstanding sides having upwardly and outwardly flared end portions for engagement by the tip end portions of the thumb and forefinger of a hand.

More specifically stated, another object of this invention resides in the provision of a plane body as indicated above in which a curved toe end is formed by upturning of the forward end of the sole plate between the ends of the flared side portions, and in which the other end portions of the upstanding sides extend rearwardly and upwardly beyond the adjacent extremity of the sole plate.

Still another specific object is to provide a plane having a unitary body consisting of a slotted sole plate with integral upstanding sides and a partition plate secured between the sides at an angle and position to support a blade extendible through the slot in the sole plate, and formed with an upwardly bent, flat upper end portion adapted to receive adjusting screw means for the blade.

An additional specific inventive object is to provide for micrometric advance and angular adjustment of the edge of the blade by use of a blade formed with a slot engaged by a screw clamping it to the partition plate of the plane body and engaged at its upper end portion by spaced screws carried by the flat upper end portion of the partition plate.

These and other features contributing to the novelty and utility of the plane of this invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of the plane;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a front end elevation;

Fig. 4 is a rear end elevation; and

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the plane taken on line 55 of Fig. 2.

Referring to Fig. 2 of the drawing, which is somewhat enlarged, a plane body having an actual overall length of about 1% inches and a width of about 1% inches may be integrally formed from a sheet of metal. In addition to the body 10 the plane comprises a rearward metal partition member 12, a cutting blade or bit 14, a screw 16 clamping the blade to partition member 12 (Fig. 5), and a spaced pair of micrometer screws 18, 18 threaded in the partition member 12 for engagement with the upper edge of the blade 14.

The plane body or frame 10 has an opposed pair of upstanding side members 20, 20 of like shape joined by a sole plate 22 (Fig. 5). It is to be observed that the sole plate 22.is substantially shorter than the side members or plates 20, 20 by means of which the plane will be held, and that the forward end of said plate and the corresponding ends of said members are substantially coterrninus. A transverse blade slot 24 approximately midway'of the length of the sole plate 22 receives the cutting edge portion of the blade 14 in a manner best shown by'Fig. 5.

The particular shape and relative proportions of the side wall members 20, 20 and the reduced length of the sole plate 22 greatly enhance the utility and effectiveness of the plane in use. At its forward endthe sole plate 22 has a curved up toe portion 26 which makes a smooth curved transition with the flat bottom of the sole plate and has a slightly convex forward edge for ease of turning (Fig. 2).

Besides providing ample area for thumb and forefinger gripping of the plane, the side members 20, 20 by reason of their upwardly and outwardly flared forward end portions 28, 28, afford finger and thumb end semi-comcavities for better forward thrusting and closer lateral direction of the plane in use.

From the end portions 28 and rearwardly the side wall members 20 of the plane body 10 are vertical and parallel as indicated in Figs. 2 and 4. It is to be noted fur-' within the frame body 10 by means of overlying tabs 31, 31 struck inwardly from the opposite side members 20, 20 a short distance rearwardly and upwardly from the blade slot 24, and by a pair of reduced ends 32, 32 projectingfrom the upper rear portion of said member 12 through respective side Wall portions into which they are anchored by upsetting and a tight fit, as indicated in Fig. l. The lower end of member 12 rests against the inside of the sole plate 22 a short distance rearward of the blade slot 24, as shown in Fig. 5. Near its upper end the partition member 12 has a downward and transverse bend formation 34 and terminates in a transverse planar portion 36 including the reduced anchoring ends 32, 32.

The blade 14 has a broad central slot 38 extending downward from its non-cutting upper edge, and the headed clamping screw 16 has only its threaded shank passing through the slot 38 and into threaded engagement with a laterally aligned opening 40 in the lower part of the partition member 12 for retention of the blade 14. The inclined portion of the partition member 12 makes a downwardly divergent angle with the underside of the blade 14 so that the blade, before being secured, rests upon the rearward edge of slot 24 and the upper curved edge of partition 12, and tightening of clamping screws 16 causes bending of blade 14 to provide a spring washer eifect. This springing of blade 14 insures tight contact with the rearward edge of slot 24 so that there will be no deviation of blade 14 from its working position in use.

As clearly shown in Fig. 2, the spaced pair of micrometer set screws 18, 18 engage the adjacent upper end of the blade 14 on opposite sides of the slot 38, so that Patented Sept. 11, 1956 when the clamping screw l'fi-is 'loosened sufficiently these screws may be selectively turned to adjust landmaintain the angular relation of the cutting edge of said blade to the sole plate 22.

In achieving the objects of the invention :there ihad been provided a novel plane of simple, idurable construction that is especially adapted for use as ;a finger plane bymodelrnakers, cabinetmakers and thelike. .Thebroader principles of this invention are not, however, limited to the indicated fields of use; the blade holding and adjusting means are obviously applicable to carpenters planes of general utility.

It will also he understood by those skilled this art that variouszchanges can be made in theiflustrativeembodiment of the present invention without departingrfrom the principles thereof and the scope of ithe appended claims.

:Having :thus .rlescribed our invention, what we claim as novel and desire to secure by Letters Patent of :the United Statesis:

1. iln a:plane for mndelmakersand thelikeanintegral plane hodyiormed with a solezplatezhaving .an upwardly curved toe end, an intermediate blade slot transverse thereof, and side plates each having an upwardly .and outwardly flared end portion lying alongside the :curved toe -end and an end portion extending upwardly :and rearwardly from the sole :plate; a forwardly and downwardly inclined partition plate secured between side plates rearwardly of the blade slot, the forward :end of the partition plate engaging the top surface of theisole plate behind the blade slot; alongitudinally slotted blade sup ported by the topisurface of the partition plate, "a clamping screw passing through the slotted portion .of the blade and .into threaded engagement with the partition plate; and .a pair of screws threadedly engaging the upper rear end portionaof the partition plate in spaced parallel relation and being positioned to engage with theirends the adjacent edge of the blade at'opposite sides of the slotted portion.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which tthetrear face of the blade engages the rearward edge of the blade slot and the bladeiis sprung away from the partition'plate below the clamping screw by clamping action thereof.

3. In ia plane, a plane body including a sole 'platelhaving .a ?transverse blade slot and a pair of side plates; .a forwardly and downwardly inclined partition plate secured between the side plates rearwardly of the blade slot, theforward 'end of the partition plate engaging the top surface of the sole plate a short distance'behind the blade slot and the rearward end having anupwardlysbent portion; a longitudinally slotted blade supported by the .top surface of ..the partition plate; a clamping .screw passing through the slotted portion of the blade and into threaded engagement with the partition plate; and a pair of screws threadedly engaging the upwardly bent end portion of the partition plate in spaced parallel relation and positioned to engage with their ends the adjacent edge of the blade at opposite vsides ot the slotted blade and to act in a direction to force the blade away from the partitionsplate.

*4. in a plane for :rnodelmakers and the like, .an integral plane body formed with a sole plate having an upwardly curved toe end, an intermediate blade slot transverse thereof, and side plates each having an upwardly and outwardly flared end portion lying alongside the curved toe end and an end portion extending upwardly and rearwardly from the sole plate; a forwardly and downwardly inclined partition plate secured between the :side plates rearwardly of "the blade slot, "the forward end of the partition plate terminating adjacent to and behind'the blade slot;a.longitudinally slotted blade supported by the top surface of the partition plate, clamping jscrew means passing through the slotted portion vof the blade and the partitionplate; and screw means threadedly engaging the upper rear end portion ofthe partition plate and disposed to engage the adjacent edge of the blade to advance said blade toward the blade slot.

5. :In aep'lane, a plane body including a soleplate having-a transverse blade slot and a pair of side plates; 21 forwardly .and downwardly inclined partition plate secured between the side plates rearwardlyof the blade slot, the :iforward end of .the partition plate terminating adjacent to and behind the blade slot and the rearward end having an upwardly bent portion; a longitudinally slotted blade supported by the top surface of the partitionrplate; 'blade clamping means passing through the slotted portion .of the blade and into retaining engagement with the partition plate; and screw means threadedly engaging the upwardly bent end portion of the partition plate, and positioned to engage the adjacent edge of the blade :andacting to force the blade along thetop surface (of the partition plate toward the blade slot.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 162,568 Meyer Apr. 27, 1875 085,651 Westberg Feb. 3, 1914 1,745,558 Rubel Feb. 4, 1930 2,601,880 Giacopini July 1, 1952 2,719,354 Kromer M Oct. 4, 1.955 

